Syria's treasure hunting fever
Reporter William Christou tells Michael Safi that the war-ravaged ancient city of Palmyra is covered in holes left by Syrians searching for millenia-old burial sites. Christou explains that the collapse of the security services combined with high levels of poverty after the war have driven people to search for ancient treasures like never before.
Amr Al-Azm, a Syrian archaeologist and founder of the Athar Project, which monitors the digital market for illegally looted antiquities across the Middle East, describes how Islamic State laid the foundations for this explosion in treasure hunting. He explains that the demand-side of this trade in Europe and North America must step up if the looting is to be halted.
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Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Evil terrorist confesses he masterminded 7/7 bombings – but could be freed in DAYS despite ‘grave concerns from cops'
FURY erupted last night over the imminent release on to British streets of a terrorist who has admitted being a mastermind behind 9/11 and the 7/7 London bombings. Despite his confession while in US custody Haroon Aswat, 50, could still be freed from a secure unit onto UK streets without a full risk assessment within days. 4 Haroon Aswat, 50, could be freed from a secure unit onto UK streets without a full risk assessment within days Credit: John Cobb 4 In 1999 Aswat helped Finsbury Park mosque hate preacher Abu Hamza set up a US terror camp According to US court documents obtained by The Sun, the al-Qaeda fiend confessed he was a 'mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks and a 2005 terrorist attack in the UK'. But he could be released from a secure psychiatric unit within days thanks to a legal loophole blocking him from being subjected to stringent risk checks. Click here to watch The Sun's documentary on the horrific 7/7 bombings - Britain's worst ever terror attack Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick said: 'This despicable man was behind one of the most deadly attacks in modern history. He should never experience freedom again." In April, we told how worried counter-terror chiefs — who believe Aswat, 50, is a continuing threat to national security — had to apply for permission to keep tabs on him. But he will be subject only to a notification order requiring him to register his address and tell police of his future travel plans. We put in legal requests for the disclosure of statements made to the High Court during the application for the notification order. Aswat was arrested but never put on trial for the 7/7 bombings which claimed 52 lives and injured 800 on the capital's Tube trains and buses. But it can now be revealed that he confessed to his role while in a US jail in 2017 following his extradition on other terror charges. The US District Court document states: 'The defendant's crimes are incredibly serious. He is a terrorist and foot soldier of al-Qaeda trained to commit acts of violence. 'His comments while in prison and his numerous disciplinary violations indicate he still supports al-Qaeda and remains dangerous. Al Qaeda 'mastermind' linked to 7/7 attack set to be freed to walk UK streets despite fears he is 'still a risk' 'In 2017 he told staff he was associated with al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden was his 'commander' and that he would 'behead all of you'. 'In March 2017 the defendant stated, 'if you think I am a terrorist, I don't shy away from my responsibility', and also stated he was a mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks and a 2005 terrorist attack in the UK.' In his witness statement Det Chief Supt Gareth Rees, head of operations for the Met's SO15 Counter Terrorism Command, said of Aswat: 'He has spoken positively of his time with al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and expressed aspirations to reconnect with them. 'Based on my experience, this is conduct which gives me grave concerns about the risk which the defendant poses to the UK's national security and to the public. 4 Aswat has admitted being a mastermind behind the 7/7 London bombings Credit: EPA 'The assessment of medical practitioners is that he currently has capacity to make complex decisions and understand complex restrictions when mentally stable. 'However, he may temporarily lose capacity if he were to relapse into a psychotic state.' Aswat trained in al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan months before the 2001 terror attacks which claimed more than 3,000 lives. Documents also revealed his name on a ledger recovered from a house in Pakistan where the 9/11 'architect' Khalid Sheikh Mohammed stayed. In 1999 Aswat helped Finsbury Park mosque hate preacher Abu Hamza set up a US terror camp. In 2002 he stayed at an al-Qaeda safe house in Pakistan where he met two 7/7 bombers. In 2005 police traced 20 calls to a phone linked to Aswat made by the 7/7 bombers before their attack. That year Aswat was arrested in Zambia while possessing a terror manual and suspected bomb parts. He was deported to the UK and held under a US arrest warrant. Aswat fought extradition on mental health grounds but after a nine-year battle was sent to the US in 2014. A year later he pleaded guilty to terror charges. His 20-year jail term was cut to seven years because of time detained here at Broadmoor Hospital. Aswat, of Batley, West Yorks, was deported back to the UK in December 2022 and is held under the Mental Health Act at Bethlem Royal Hospital in South London. Doctors say he is well enough to be released 'in the relatively near future' but UK law means he cannot be formally risk-assessed while detained. 4 Aswat as also confessed to involvement in 9/11 Credit: Getty A report compiled in 2022 by psychiatrist Dr Richard Taylor concluded he still posed a serious risk. It highlighted Aswat has 'continued to express violent extremist Islamic ideology' even when in a relatively stable mental state. Other police officers who gave statements to the High Court in April also expressed concerns. Det Sgt David Taylor said: 'I assess the defendant has a significant involvement within Islamist extremism, involvement in terrorism and a long-standing association with others holding radical beliefs. 'I believe the defendant's US conviction, historic involvement with Islamist extremist groups and previously reported mindset alongside his vulnerable and fragile mental health do pose a potential risk to the security of the UK.' Det Insp Karen Bradley warned of danger if Aswat was excluded from normal risk checks applied to terrorists after release. No formal terrorist risk assessment has been carried out since the defendant's return here Mr Justice Jay She said: 'In my professional judgment, I believe that Mr Aswat still poses a potential terrorist risk.' The High Court was told that, owing to his detention, Aswat was not allowed to be assessed under Extremism Risk Guidance protocols. Under the notification order, he will not be under surveillance or wear a tag and can travel abroad if he tells cops in advance. Granting the order, Mr Justice Jay noted: 'No formal terrorist risk assessment has been carried out since the defendant's return here. 'The circumstances of his detention have precluded that. 'However, on the basis of the material which is available the defendant has been assessed by various police officers that he remains a risk to national security.' Protecting our national security is the very first priority of this government and if any individual poses a threat to that security A Government spokesman We had to formally notify Aswat of our request for more details before the Met Police agreed to release them and also agreed to notify medics caring for him prior to publication. Papers also revealed police and courts were obliged to consider his human rights when applying for the notification order. A Government spokesman said: 'Protecting our national security is the very first priority of this government and if any individual poses a threat to that security, the police and intelligence services have a range of powers they can apply to deal with that threat. 'We will always do whatever is necessary inside the law to protect the public from any risk posed by former terrorist offenders or people of terrorist concern.'
The Guardian
6 hours ago
- The Guardian
Canada braces as tariff deadline looms and talks with US ‘chaos machine' drag
After months of tariff threats from the US and escalating trade tensions that have sowed anger in Canada and fractured a once-close alliance, the country is now fast approaching a 1 August deadline to reach a deal with the Trump administration – which has shown no signs of backing down. And observers are keeping a close eye on negotiations this week to determine whether too large a chasm has grown between the countries, resulting in what could be an explosive end to what was decades of free-flowing trade. Canada is also in a highly vulnerable position, as it has closely intertwined its economy with the US's, and is extremely reliant on a low-barrier trade environment, said William Huggins, an assistant professor in economics at McMaster University in Ontario. 'Canada has tried to negotiate sort of forcefully from a position of not acquiescing to every demand, but by the same token, has also realised it's not in the strongest position to do so … We've had to navigate carefully,' said Huggins. The Canadian public is also anxiously awaiting the deadline to strike up a deal. Economists and political scientists say the country's prime minister, Mark Carney, was elected on the belief that he's the right person to be at the helm of negotiations and lead Canada through a tenuous period with their southern neighbour. His successes or failures in this arena could affect public perception – as he has characterised his government as being the most adept in the crisis around its sovereignty due to the tariffs and Donald Trump's persistent claims that he'd like to make Canada the 51st state. '[Carney] is in a situation where he doesn't hold all the cards and whoever we put in was going to have to figure out a way through this … [His] ability to plan is severely limited by the chaos machine that is operating south of the border,' said Dennis Pilon, the chair of the politics department at York University in Ontario. On Monday, Carney said at a news conference on Prince Edward Island that the trade negotiations are at an 'intense pace' and that they are 'complex'. But he projected tentative optimism, stating that the negotiations are 'tough' because the government is standing up for Canadian interests. 'There is a landing zone that's possible but we have to get there. We'll see what happens,' he told reporters. But Trump spoke of the negotiations flippantly when asked by reporters outside the White House last Friday. 'We haven't really had a lot of luck with Canada … Canada could be one where there's just a tariff, not really a negotiation,' he said. So far, much of the talks have happened behind closed doors. There was a glimpse into what could be the dynamic between Carney and Trump when the prime minister had his first meeting with the president in the Oval Office in early May. There were positive tones in both initially offering praise for each other, but the encounter quickly grew tense as Trump repeated his annexation claims, which were subsequently rebuffed by Carney. Since March, Trump has imposed several tariffs on Canadian goods and energy resources. There is a 25% tariff on all goods, excluding potash and energy products. But there's separately a 10% tariff on energy resources, including potash. Additionally, there's a further 50% tariff on steel and aluminum imports and a 25% tariff on autos and auto parts. At this stage, the tariffs have seemingly not delivered a significant blow to Canada's economy, but that could change quickly. The Royal Bank of Canada noted in its June forecast that nearly 90% of Canadian goods are exempt from tariffs under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), the free trade deal that replaced Nafta in 2020 and which provides a degree of insulation. In an assessment published by the Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD) on Tuesday, it reported that energy exports have not been significantly affected by the tariffs, as most exports are compliant under the USMCA, and are therefore exempt from tariffs. Some of the insulation so far from tariffs could be from opening Canada up to other markets. TD said that in the past four months, Canadian businesses rapidly moved to reorient supply chains and export to non-US markets. Now about 30% of exports go outside the US – a level not seen since the pandemic, when TD notes there was disorientation in trade. But TD also warned that the negative effects of the tariffs might be beginning to emerge. It said that Canadian exports to the US are 'generally underperforming' in tariff-targeted industries, particularly steel and automaking. Canada's auto exports fell to levels not seen since late 2022, following the April imposition of tariffs. Automakers have also 'slashed' production in response, it said. Andrea Lawlor, an associate professor of political science at McMaster University, said that while there haven't been many layoffs or a complete reorientation of production lines yet, industries targeted by tariffs are preparing to do so. Lawlor also said that Carney has been prudent in his negotiation strategy so far, and right in waiting for deals to be brokered between the US and other nations, as they were this month with Japan and the EU, to help inform Canada's strategy. Sign up to This Week in Trumpland A deep dive into the policies, controversies and oddities surrounding the Trump administration after newsletter promotion And despite concerns about marred relationships with First Nations people, pushing forward controversial infrastructure legislation and his quick scrapping of Canada's digital services tax – which many, including top former diplomats, viewed as fawning capitulation toward Trump – the prime minister is still enjoying fairly positive polling in his term's infancy. Abacus Data reported at the end of June that 52% of Canadians surveyed approve of the Carney government. The research firm states it shows that his post-election honeymoon period is 'far from over'. Lawlor said the best outcome for Carney in the negotiations is a favourable trade deal – however, there has been signalling from Carney, in his discussion of 'tough' talks so far, that Canadians may have to accept a baseline of tariffs. 'Many Canadians just simply will not be satisfied if that is the outcome,' she said. But due to Carney facing limited criticism of his interactions with the Americans so far, Lawlor said she believes the prime minister will not face extreme negative blowback if he doesn't trounce tariffs for good this week. But he will be more vulnerable if the tariffs start to place downward pressure on multiple industries, she said. As Canadians are waiting and watching for the Friday deal deadline, the real fears are around the cementing of a new world order and whether long-term business and consumer decisions need to be made in response, said Preetika Joshi, an assistant professor at McGill University in Quebec that specialises in taxation. 'If you were a business owner and you knew Trump is going to be in power for only three, four years, would you necessarily make big, significant changes in your supply chain … or would you just wait it out?' she said. But given some grim messaging from those close to Carney – Canadians might be facing tough decisions. Dominic LeBlanc, the federal minister responsible for Canada-US trade, said last week there's a lot of work ahead of them and minimised the 1 August deadline. 'We're going to continue to work toward the 1 August deadline,' said LeBlanc to reporters in Washington. 'But all of these deadlines are with the understanding that we'll take the time necessary to get the best deal,' he said. Deal or no deal, the negotiations might reveal that there isn't a best-case scenario, said Joshi. 'What we were used to before Trump, where there were very little tariffs, that reality is slightly over,' she said. 'We'll have to wait and see … but the reality is that there are going to be some tariffs.'
The Guardian
6 hours ago
- The Guardian
In this time of rancour, fear and war, peaceful nuclear cooperation in the Middle East is still possible
Ten years ago, after the Iran nuclear deal, I wrote in the Guardian about the urgent need for global nuclear disarmament – starting with the establishment in the Middle East of a zone free from weapons of mass destruction. A decade later, as our region teeters on the edge of catastrophe, that call is no longer just noble – it is essential. The proposal was not a new Iranian initiative. As far back as 1974, Iran proposed a zone free from nuclear weapons in the Middle East at the UN, and was soon joined by Egypt. That proposal passed overwhelmingly in the general assembly. After Iraq's use of chemical weapons during the Iran-Iraq war, the initiative was expanded in 1990 to cover all weapons of mass destruction. But for half a century, progress has been blocked by Israel and its main patron, the United States. This paralysis is no accident. Despite overwhelming annual support in the UN general assembly and repeated commitments in the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT), the Middle East remains one of the only regions on Earth without a nuclear weapon-free framework. More than 100 non-aligned states at the 1995 NPT review and extension conference made progress towards such a zone a condition of the treaty's indefinite extension. Yet 30 years on, little has changed. In fact, the situation has deteriorated, showing that while possession of nuclear weapons usually leads to reckless adventurism, such weapons in no way assure success, provide invincibility or safety for citizens. Recent unlawful military action by the nuclear-armed Israel – which is not party to the NPT – against Iran's internationally monitored nuclear facilities brought our region dangerously close to an abyss. The failure of Israel to achieve its unwarranted objectives, and the inability of the US to bring Iran to its knees, could and still can engulf this region and by extension the entire world in a forever war. Enough is enough. We must take the future of our region's security into our own hands. It is time for the Middle East and north Africa to move beyond empty rhetoric and towards genuine regional cooperation – based on mutual respect and the peaceful use of nuclear energy. That is why we propose the creation of the Middle East Network for Atomic Research and Advancement, or Menara, which fittingly means 'lighthouse' in Arabic. Menara would be a regional body designed to facilitate peaceful nuclear cooperation among its members. Open to all qualified states in the Middle East and north Africa, to join, countries must reject the development or deployment of nuclear weapons and commit to mutual verification of their compliance. In return, Menara would help them benefit from peaceful nuclear technology, including energy production, medicine, agriculture and scientific research. Such a body is not a substitute for disarmament – it is a step towards it. Regional nuclear cooperation, with strong safeguards and mutual oversight, can strengthen non-proliferation and enhance energy security without enabling militarisation. It has long been argued that progress on regional disarmament must wait for Israel to disarm. But a regime that has shown no regard for international legitimacy by committing international crimes such as apartheid, genocide and, most recently, mass starvation will hardly be influenced by this negative pressure – it certainly has not been for more than 50 years. And its perilous nuclear arsenal has been and will always remain the gravest threat to international non-proliferation and regional and global peace and stability. Holding hundreds of millions of people hostage to one regime's nuclear arsenal and political impunity is a recipe for permanent instability. We must find a new way forward. Menara would also help reframe the nuclear debate in the region. For too long, nuclear issues have been cast solely in terms of risk and threat. But nuclear science also offers solutions – to the climate crisis, water scarcity, food security and energy diversification. As oil and gas reserves dwindle, nuclear energy will be vital for regional growth and sustainability. Menara can make this future a shared, secure reality. Here's how it would work. Menara would coordinate research, education and development across member states. It would support joint ventures in fields ranging from uranium enrichment and waste management to nuclear fusion and medicine. Members would share facilities, pool expertise and ensure transparency through a joint regulatory board. Contributions would be proportional to each country's capacity, but every member would benefit. The network would be headquartered in one of the participating countries, with branch offices and potentially shared enrichment facilities in others. Oversight would be conducted by a board of governors composed of national representatives, with international observers from the UN, the security council and the International Atomic Energy Agency invited to participate. Crucially, Menara would include robust mutual safeguards to prevent the diversion of materials for military use. Today, more than ever, we in the Middle East and north Africa region have been woken up to a collective cognisance of the horrifying picture of our future unless we seize this moment. We know that mistrust runs deep in our region. Iran has its grievances and so do others. But history must not define our destiny. We call on the nations of the Middle East and north Africa to endorse Menara and begin formal negotiations on its structure, mandate and membership criteria. A regional summit – under the auspices of the UN and with support from global powers – could lay the foundation. Such a step would not only reduce the risk of nuclear conflict but also offer a model for cooperation in a fractured world. The status quo is unsustainable. The nightmare of escalation and its inherent potential to cause proliferation is no longer hypothetical; it is dangerously close to becoming real. But there is still time to choose a different path. Menara can be a beacon guiding us towards a future where the Middle East is no longer a battleground for nuclear brinkmanship, but a leader in peace, progress and responsible energy. The time to act is now. Javad Zarif is associate professor of global studies at the University of Tehran. He was Iran's foreign minister and chief nuclear negotiator from 2013-21. His co-author is Mohsen Baharvand, who was Iran's deputy foreign minister and ambassador to the UK Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
